Manifold assembly



Nov. 11, 1969 H. w. PALEY MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 25, 1967 Fig. 3*

INVENTOR.

Ms Mm m m WW m WM United States Patent 3,477,469 MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY Hyman W. Paley, 20 Broadmoor Drive,

San Francisco, Calif. 94132 Filed Apr. 25, 1967, Ser. No. 633,505 Int. Cl. A61m /14 U.S. Cl. 137-608 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Manifold assembly comprised of a holder and a manifold removably mounted on the holder in which cooperative means is provided to prevent rotational movement of the manifold with respect to the holder and to permit mounting of the manifold in various predetermined positions on the holder.

Background of the invention Manifolds have heretofore been provided which have medical applications. However, such manifolds have had limitations in that they could not be readily mounted in a number of predetermined positions. In addition, the usefulness of such manifolds has been limited because they could not be turned upside down.

Summary of the invention The manifold assembly consists of a holder and a manifold removably mounted on the holder. The manifold comprises a body having a flow passage therein and valve members mounted in the body for controlling the flow of fluid through the flow passages. Cooperative means is carried by the holder and the body for supporting the body in a predetermined position with respect to the holder. The cooperative means permits rapid removal of the body from the holder and permits mounting of the body on the holder in a number of predetermined positions. Cooperative means is carried by the body and bythe valve members to prevent rotational movement of the valve members in the manifold beyond predetermined angular positions.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a manifold assembly incorporating the present invention and showing its manner of use.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the manifold assembly shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the manifold assembly shown in FIGURE 2 and shows the manifold removed from the holder.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a view looking along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the manifold shown in FIGURE 2 with certain parts broken away.

' FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the manifold with certain portions broken away.

Brief description of embodiments of invention As shown in FIGURES 16 of the drawings, the manifold assembly 11 consists of a holder and bracket 12 upon which a manifold 13 is mounted. Cooperative means is provided on the holder and the manifold to permit rapid removal of the manifold from the holder and also to permit positioning of the manifold in a number of predetermined positions on the holder 12.

The manifold 13 consists of a body 16. The body 16 is formed of a suitable material such as a bar of stainless steel. Itis provided with upper and lower wide surfaces 17 and 18, narrow side surfaces 19 and 21, and end surfaces 22 and 23. The body 16 is provided with a main flow passage 26 which extends longitudinally of the body and opens through the end surfaces 2.2 and 23. A plurality of additional flow passages 27 are provided which open through the side surfaces 21 and which are in communication with the main passage 26 and extend generally in a direction at right angles to the main flow passage 26. A plurality of holes 28 are provided in the body 16 and open through the upper and lower surfaces 17 and 18. The holes 28 extend in a direction at right angles to the main passage 26 and are located at each of the intersections between the flow passages 27 and 28 and the main flow passage 26.

Valve means is provided for controlling the flow of fluid through said flow passages and consists of a plurality of valve members 31 which are mounted in the holes 28 provided in the body 16. Each of the valve members 31 consists of a cylindrical member or valve core 32 formed of a suitable material such as Teflon which is mounted in a hole 33 provided in a cylindrical extension 34a of a knob 34. The member 32 is held in place in a suitable manner such as by use of a pin 36 which extends through the extension 34a and the member 32. For a purpose hereinafter described, the pin 36 is of such a length that both ends of the same extend beyond the cylindrical extension 34a. The cylindrical member 32 is provided with a bore 37 which extends diametrically through the member 32 at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the member. The member is also provided with an additional radially extending bore 38 which opens through the outer surface of the member and which is in communication with the bore 37 and extends at right angles to the bore 37. The bores 37 and 38 thus form a T-shaped passageway. The top surface of the knob 34 is provided with arrows 39 and 41 which are in general alignment with the bores 37 and 38 and indicate the position of the bores 37 and 38 in the member 32.

Cooperative means is carried by the body 16 and by each of the.valve members 31 to permit rotation of the valve member through a predetermined angle. Such cooperative means includes the pin 36 hereinbefore described mounted on each of the valve members 31 and a pin 43 which is mounted in the body 16 and extends through the body 16 adjacent the hole 28 provided in the body and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hole and extends beyond the upper and lower surfaces 17 and 18 as shown particularly in FIGURE 3. The pin 43 is positioned so that it is adapted to be engaged by the pin 36 carried by the valve member regardless of whether the valve member 31 is inserted from the upper side 17 or the lower side 18. Each of the knobs 34 is provided with a flat 42.

The exterior terminations of the passages 26 and 27 in the body 16 are provided with suitable fittings 46 such as the Luer fitting manufactured by Becton Dickinson Co. The fittings 46 can either be of the male or female type. The female type is shown in the drawings.

The holder or bracket 12 consists of a tubular rod or member 51 which is bent into a right angle to provide a short leg portion 51a and a long leg portion 51b which extend at right angles to each other. Suitable clamping means is mounted on the free end of the long leg portion 51b so that the holder can be mounted on a stand or support as, for example, a vertical rod 52 which forms a part of an IV stand (not shown) in a hospital. The clamping means consists of first and second members 53 and 54 which cooperate with each other to clamp the rod 51 to the vertical rod 52. The second member 54 is provided with a V-shaped notch 56 which is adapted to receive the rod 52. A pair of threaded studs 57 are mounted on the member 54 on opposite sides of the notch 56 and extend through holes 58 provided in the member 53. Wing nuts 59 are threaded onto the studs 57 and are utilized for holding the clamping member 53 in place and to securely clamp the rod 52 in the V-shaped notch 56 in member 54.

A mounting plate 61 is mounted on the short leg portion 51a of the rod 51 and is provided with a planar upper surface 62 upon which the manifold 13 is adapted to rest.

Cooperative means is provided for retaining the manifold 13 in the desired angular position on the mounting plate 61 of the holder 12 and consists of a pair of pins 63 which are mounted upon the plate 61 adjacent diagonally opposite corners of the plate 61 as can be seen particularly in FIGURE 5. The pins 63 are adapted to enter two of four holes 66 provided in the body 16 and extend through the body 16 in a direction parallel to the axis of the holes 28 and open through the upper and lower surfaces 17 and 18. The holes 66 and the pins 63 are positioned so that the longitudinal axis of the manifold 13 extends in a direction Which is at right angles to the plane in which the rod 51 lies. Thus, it can be seen that when the pins 63 are in two of the holes, the manifold 13 is held in a predetermined angular position with respect to the holder and that by merely lifting the manifold 13 off of the pins 63 it can be rotated through 180 and the pins positioned in the other two holes carried by the manifold 13 to hold the manifold in a position which is 180 removed from the position the manifold was in originally. Since the holes extend through the manifold 13, it is also apparent that the manifold can be turned upside down and the manifold also held in two upside down positions which are 180 apart.

The mounting plate 61 is provided with a recess 67 which is adapted to receive the lower extremity of the cylindrical member 32 of the central valve member 31 which depends below the surface 18. The mounting plate 61 is also provided with a pair of holes 68 which are adapted to receive the central pin 43 in any of the various positions which can be assumed by the manifold 13 when its positions are shifted in the manner hereinbefore described.

Use of the manifold assembly may now be briefly described as follows. Let it be assumed that the manifold assembly 11 has been mounted on an IV stand or other device which has a vertical rod 52 in such a manner that the manifold 13 carried by the holder 12 lies in a horizontal plane. The manifold illustrated in FIGURES l-6 can be considered to be a five place manifold in that it is provided with five separate valve members 31. In a typical application such as that shown in FIGURE 1, a strain gauge transducer 71 is mounted on each of the Luer fittings 46 provided on opposite ends of the manifold 13. Two catheters 72 and 73 are connected to the fittings 46 intermediate the ends of the manifold 13 and on opposite sides of the central fitting 46. These catheters are inserted in the vascular system of the patient as, for example, either in the veins, arteries or heart of the patient. A tube 74- connected to the central fitting 46 is connected to a sterile saline reservoir to supply the saline solution to the manifold.

The valve members 31 are positioned so that the central valve member 31 is positioned in the manner shown in FIGURE 6 and the two valve members 31 provided on opposite sides of the central valve member 31 are also positioned in the manner shown in FIGURE 6 so that the saline solution with an anti-coagulant can pass through the central valve member 31 into the main flow passage 26 by passing through the passages 38 and 37 of the valve member 32 and into the main passage 26 in both directions. Saline solution now passes through the bores 37 in the two valve members 31 adjacent opposite sides of the central valve member 31 to fill the remaining portions of the main passage 26 and to pass through the bores 37 of the two end valve members 31 through the end fittings 46 to fill the chambers of the transducers 71. Thereafter, the two valve members 31 adjacent opposite sides of the central valve member 31 are rotated through The one on the right is turned counter-clockwise and the other on the left is turned clockwise as viewed in FIGURE 6 to supply saline solution through passages 37 and 38 of the valve members 31 to fill the catheters 72 and 73. The catheters are then inserted into the vascular system of the patient and the saline solution is permitted to enter the vascular system. While saline solution is still passing through the catheters, the valve members 31 are rotated in directions opposite those previously made so that the vascular pressures are directed to the respective transducers through the bores 38, bores 37, through passage 26 to the transducers 71. The transducers are connected to a recording apparatus which records the vascular pressures of the patient.

It also can be seen that the valve members 31 can be rotated so that both of the pressure transducers mounted on the ends of the manifold can be checked to see if they are of equal sensitivity to the same hydrostatic pressure. They also can be vented to the atmosphere by shifting the valve members so that the bottom of the T faces the transducer. The arrows provided on top of the valve member 31 readily indicate the position of the valve and make it possible for the operator to readily direct the fluid which is being supplied to the manifold.

As pointed out above, the manifold can be turned upside down and utilized in this way merely by removing the valve members and inserting them in the holes 28 in the opposite direction. This makes it possible to face the fittings provided on the one side of the manifold in the opposite direction.

Another embodiment of the manifold incorporating the present invention is shown in FIGURE 7. This manifold is of the three-stage type and is provided with three separate valve members 31. The manifold consists of a body 81 and is provided with a main flow passage 82 extending longitudinally of the body which only opens through one end of the body. Additional passages '83 are provided in the body which are in communication with the main passage 82 and disposed at right angles with respect to the passage 82 and open through one of the side walls of the body 81. Valve members 31 of the type hereinbefore described are disposed in holes 84 provided in the body 81 at the intersections of the passages 82 and 83 in the manner hereinbefore described for the passages 26 and 27.

Fittings 46 of the type hereinbefore described are mounted in certain of the terminal portions of the passages, whereas additional fittings 86 and 87 of a type particularly adapted for use in angiocardiography are mounted in two of the passages 83 provided in the manifold shown in FIGURE 7. The body is provided with four holes 88 which are spaced in the same manner as the holes 66 in the body 16 shown in FIGURE 2 and are adapted to mate with the pins 63 provided on the holder 12 so that the manifold shown in FIGURE 7 can be positioned in any of the positions described for the manifold shown in FIGURES 16. Thus, the manifold shown in FIGURE 7 has the same versatility as the manifold shown in FIG- URES 16. It, however, is provided with fittings and passages which are particularly adapted for angiocardiographic work. It should be noted that the main passage 82 terminates in the right-hand hole 84 provided in the manifold shown in FIGURE 7 and does not extend beyond the same. This is to ensure that there are no blind spaces in the manifold which could clot or which could contain air and carry air into the patients bloodstream. A plurality of pins 89 are mounted in the body 81 and positioned in the same manner as the pins 43 in the body 16 with the exception that one of the pins 89 is positioned on one end of the body 81 in alignment with the main flow passage 82.

It can be seen that the manifold shown in FIGURE 7 has the same advantages as the manifold shown in FIG- URES 1-6 in that the valve members can be readily positioned in any desired position and in that the manifold can be shifted to a number of predetermined positions with respect to the holder 12. The fittings 86 and 87 are what are typically called Linden Luer fittings. The fittings 86 and 87 are provided with large holes which have substantially the same diameter as the main passage 82 to permit the rapid flow of fluid therethrough. Thus, for example, the manifold is particularly adapted for use in angiocardiographic work in delivering a large amount of fluids suitable for X-ray work. The fluids can be delivered to the patient directly through fittings 86 and 87 by rotation of the right-hand end valve member 31 so that the passage 38 interconnects the two fittings. Immediately thereafter the vascular pressure of the patient can be measured by mere rotation of the same valve member 31 through 90 in the counterclockwise direction to supply the vascular pressure to a transducer connected to the fitting 46 on the other end of the body 81.

It is apparent from the foregoing that there has been provided a manifold assembly which is very versatile and which can be utilized in many dilferent. positions. The valve members can be readily removed from the manifolds for cleaning and autoclaving. The valve members are interchangeable and can be inserted from either side of the manifold and still work satisfactorily. The cooperative means provided for mounting the manifold on the holder is such that the manifold can be readily removed and its position can be readily shifted. The holder is such that it can be readily mounted in .a desired position so that the manifold is maintained in a horizontal position. The manifold can be used for controlling dye injections and infusions of other agents into the patient. It is particularly useful for catheterization and cardio vascular surgery. It can be used in recovery rooms, intensive care units and for animal studies.

I claim:

1. In 'a manifold assembly, a holder and a manifold assembly removably mounted on said holder, said manifold comprising a body having flow passages therein, valve members mounted in said body for controlling the flow of fluid through said flow passages and cooperative means carried by the holder and the manifold including pins and means for receiving the pins for supporting the body in a predetermined position with respect to the holder, said cooperative means permitting rapid removal of said manifold from said holder.

2. A manifold assembly as in claim 1 wherein said holder includes a plate having a substantailly planar surface adapted to receive the body of the manifold, and wherein said cooperative means includes a pair of pins preventing rotational movement of the manifold with respect to the holder.

3. A manifold assembly as in claim 2 wherein said pins are mounted on said plate and wherein said body is provided with at least four spaced holes which are adapted to receive said pins, said holes and said pins being positioned so that the manifold can assume two predetermined angular positions with respect to the holder.

4. A manifold assembly as in claim 1 wherein said flow passages include a main passage extending longitudinally of the body and a plurality of additional passages extending at right angles to said main passages, said body having holes therein extending through said body and being disposed at the intersection of said main passage and said additional passages and wherein said valve members are rotatably mounted in said holes, said valve members having a T-shaped passage therein adapated to be moved into communication with said main passage and said additional passages.

5. In a manifold, a body having main and additional flow passages therein, said body being formed with holes extending through the body and through the flow passages in the body, valve members removably and rotatably mounted in the holes in said body, said valve members having passages therein adapted to be moved into registration with the main flow passage in the body and the additional flow passages in the body, pins mounted in the body and adjacent each of the holes in the body and extending beyond the body in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the holes in the body and pins carried by the valve members and adapted to engage the pins in the body adjacent the holes to limit rotation of the valve members between predetermined positions.

6. A manifold as in claim 5 wherein said valve members are insertable into said holes from opposite sides of said body.

7. A manifold as in claim 6 wherein said pins in said body extend beyond said opposite sides of the body and wherein the pins carried by the valve members extend beyond opposite sides of the valve members.

8. In a manifold assembly, a holder and a manifold removably mounted on said holder, said manifold comprising a body having a main flow passage extending longitudinally of the body and a plurality of additional flow passages extending at right angles to said main passage, said body having holes therein extending through said body and being disposed at the intersection of said main passage and said additional passages, valve members rotatably mounted in said holes for controlling the flow of fluid through said flow passages, each of said valve members having a T-shaped passage therein adapted to be moved into communication with said main passage and said additional passages, and means mounted in said body in the vicinity of said holes and extending beyond opposite sides of the body in a direction substantially parallel to the axes of the holes in the body, pin means carried by each of the valve members and adapted to engage the pin adjacent the hole in which the valve member is mounted, and cooperative means carried by the holder and the manifold for supporting the body in a predetermined position with respect to the holder, said cooperative means permitting rapid removal of said manifold from said holder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,381,129 6/1921 Maul 251-143 3,019,815 2/1962 Lenardon et al. 137-6l2.l 3,025,878 3/1962 Hupp 137-608 XR 3,048,195 8/ 1962 Gottlieb 137-609 XR 3,092,141 6/1963 Stark 13-7-608 3,118,463 l/ 1964 Lacart 137-608 XR 3,154,102 10/1964 Harris 137-608 3,302,912 2/1967 Hurlburt 251-143 XR 3,382,890 5/1968 Howland 137-609 XR SAMUEL SCOTT, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 137-270 

